Fantastic arguments have been put forward here. I never considered that the Arkenstone could be a Silmaril until now!
The sticking point for me though is that if Erebor is not a volcano, its more unlikely for the Silmaril to have resurfaced there. The Atlas of Middle-Earth tells us that the mountain had a wealth of gold and jewels, but makes no mention of volcanic activity.
Nevertheless, a great suggestion, definitely worth thinking about...
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High Lord Kharank has spoken
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